the expedition of humphry clinker-第83部分

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victory　over　the　infirmities　of　his　nature。

Upon　an　accurate　enquiry　into　the　state　of　his　affairs；　I　find
his　debts　amount　to　twenty　thousand　pounds；　for　eighteen　thousand
pounds　of　which　sum　his　estate　is　mortgaged；　and　as　he　pays　five
per　cent。　interest；　and　some　of　his　farms　are　unoccupied；　he　does
not　receive　above　two　hundred　pounds　a　year　clear　from　his　lands；
over　and　above　the　interest　of　his　wife's　fortune；　which　produced
eight　hundred　pounds　annually。　For　lightening　this　heavy　burthen；
I　devised　the　following　expedient。　His　wife's　jewels；　together
with　his　superfluous　plate　and　furniture　in　both　houses；　his
horses　and　carriages；　which　are　already　advertised　to　be　sold　by
auction；　will；　according　to　the　estimate；　produce　two　thousand
five　hundred　pounds　in　ready　money；　with　which　the　debt　will　be
immediately　reduced　to　eighteen　thousand　pounds　　I　have
undertaken　to　find　him　ten　thousand　pounds　at　four　per　cent。　by
which　means　he　will　save　one　hundred　a…year　in　the　article　of
interest；　and　perhaps　we　shall　be　able　to　borrow　the　other　eight
thousand　on　the　same　terms。　According　to　his　own　scheme　of　a
country　life；　he　says　he　can　live　comfortably　for　three　hundred
pounds　a…year；　but；　as　he　has　a　son　to　educate；　we　will　allow　him
five　hundred；　then　there　will　be　an　accumulating　fund　of　seven
hundred　a…year；　principal　and　interest；　to　pay　off　the
incumbrance；　and；　I　think；　we　may　modestly　add　three　hundred；　on
the　presumption　of　new…leasing　and　improving　the　vacant　farms：　so
that；　in　a　couple　of　years；　I　suppose　there　will　be　above　a
thousand　a…year　appropriated　to　liquidate　a　debt　of　sixteen
thousand。

We　forthwith　began　to　class　and　set　apart　the　articles　designed
for　sale；　under　the　direction　of　an　upholder　from　London；　and；
that　nobody　in　the　house　might　be　idle；　commenced　our　reformation
without　doors；　as　well　as　within。　With　Baynard's　good　leave；　I
ordered　the　gardener　to　turn　the　rivulet　into　its　old　channel；　to
refresh　the　fainting　Naiads；　who　had　so　long　languished　among
mouldring　roots；　withered　leaves；　and　dry　pebbles　　The　shrubbery
is　condemned　to　extirpation；　and　the　pleasure　ground　will　be
restored　to　its　original　use　of　corn…field　and　pasture　　Orders
are　given　for　rebuilding　the　walls　of　the　garden　at　the　back　of
the　house；　and　for　planting　clumps　of　firs；　intermingled　with
beech　and　chestnut；　at　the　east　end；　which　is　now　quite　exposed
to　the　surly　blasts　that　come　from　that　quarter。　All　these　works
being　actually　begun；　and　the　house　and　auction　left　to　the　care
and　management　of　a　reputable　attorney；　I　brought　Baynard　along
with　me　in　the　chaise；　and　made　him　acquainted　with　Dennison；
whose　goodness　of　heart　would　not　fail　to　engage　his　esteem　and
affection。　　He　is　indeed　charmed　with　our　society　in　general；　and
declares　that　he　never　saw　the　theory　of　true　pleasure　reduced　to
practice　before。　I　really　believe　it　would　not　be　an　easy　task　to
find　such　a　number　of　individuals　assembled　under　one　roof；　more
happy　than　we　are　at　present。

I　must　tell　you；　however；　in　confidence；　I　suspect　Tabby　of
tergiversation。　　I　have　been　so　long　accustomed　to　that　original；
that　I　know　all　the　caprices　of　her　heart；　and　can　often　perceive
her　designs　while　they　are　yet　in　embrio　　She　attached　herself　to
Lismahago　for　no　other　reason　but　that　she　despaired　of　making　a
more　agreeable　conquest。　At　present；　if　I　am　not　much　mistaken　in
my　observation；　she　would　gladly　convert　the　widowhood　of　Baynard
to　her　own　advantage。　　Since　he　arrived；　she　has　behaved　very
coldly　to　the　captain；　and　strove　to　fasten　on　the　other's　heart；
with　the　hooks　of　overstrained　civility。　These　must　be　the
instinctive　efforts　of　her　constitution；　rather　than　the　effects
of　any　deliberate　design；　for　matters　are　carried　to　such　a
length　with　the　lieutenant；　that　she　could　not　retract　with　any
regard　to　conscience　or　reputation。　Besides；　she　will　meet　with
nothing　but　indifference　or　aversion　on　the　side　of　Baynard；　who
has　too　much　sense　to　think　of　such　a　partner　at　any　time；　and
too　much　delicacy　to　admit　a　thought　of　any　such　connexion　at　the
present　juncture　　Meanwhile；　I　have　prevailed　upon　her　to　let　him
have　four　thousand　pounds　at　four　per　cent　towards　paying　off　his
mortage。　Young　Dennison　has　agreed　that　Liddy's　fortune　shall　be
appropriated　to　the　same　purpose；　on　the　same　terms。　　His　father
will　sell　out　three　thousand　pounds　stock　for　his　accommodation。　
Farmer　Bland　has；　at　the　desire　of　Wilson；　undertaken　for　two
thousand；　and　I　must　make　an　effort　to　advance　what　further　will
be　required　to　take　my　friend　out　of　the　hands　of　the
Philistines。　He　is　so　pleased　with　the　improvements　made　on　his
estate；　which　is　all　cultivated　like　a　garden；　that　he　has
entered　himself　as　a　pupil　in　farming　to　Mr　Dennison；　and
resolved　to　attach　himself　wholly　to　the　practice　of　husbandry。

Every　thing　is　now　prepared　for　our　double　wedding。　The
marriage…articles　for　both　couples　are　drawn　and　executed；　and　the
ceremony　only　waits　until　the　parties　shall　have　been　resident　in
the　parish　the　term　prescribed　by　law。　Young　Dennison　betrays
some　symptoms　of　impatience；　but；　Lismahago　bears　this　necessary
delay　with　the　temper　of　a　philosopher。　　You　must　know；　the
captain　does　not　stand　altogether　on　the　foundation　of　personal
merit。　Besides　his　half…pay；　amounting　to　two　and　forty　pounds　a
year；　this　indefatigable　oeconomist　has　amassed　eight　hundred
pounds；　which　he　has　secured　in　the　funds。　This　sum　arises　partly
from　his　pay's　running　up　while　he　remained　among　the　Indians；
partly　from　what　he　received　as　a　consideration　for　the
difference　between　his　full　appointment　and　the　half…pay；　to
which　he　is　now　restricted；　and　partly　from　the　profits　of　a
little　traffick　he　drove　in　peltry；　during　his　sachemship　among
the　Miamis。

Liddy's　fears　and　perplexities　have　been　much　assuaged　by　the
company　of　one　Miss　Willis；　who　had　been　her　intimate　companion
at　the　boarding…school。　Her　parents　had　been　earnestly　sollicited
to　allow　her　making　this　friendly　visit　on　such　an　extraordinary
occasion；　and　two　days　ago　she　arrived　with　her　mother；　who　did
not　chuse　that　she　should　come　without　a　proper　gouvernante。　The
young　lady　is　very　sprightly；　handsome；　and　agreeable；　and　the
mother　a　mighty　good　sort　of　a　woman；　so　that　their　coming　adds
considerably　to　our　enjoyment。　But　we　shall　have　a　third　couple
yoked　in　the　matrimonial　chain。　Mr　Clinker　Loyd　has　made　humble
remonstrance　through　the　canal　of　my　nephew；　setting　forth　the
sincere　love　and　affection　mutually　subsisting　between　him　and
Mrs　Winifred　Jenkins；　and　praying　my　consent　to　their　coming
together　for　life。　I　would　have　wished　that　Mr　Clinker　had　kept
out　of　this　scrape；　but　as　the　nymph's　happiness　is　at　stake；　and
she　has　already　some　fits　in　the　way　of　despondence；　I；　in　order
to　prevent　any　tragical　catastrophe；　have　given　him　leave　to　play
the　fool；　in　imitation　of　his　betters；　and　I　suppose　we　shall　in
time　have　a　whole　litter　of　his　progeny　at　Brambleton…hall。　The
fellow　is　stout　and　lusty；　very　sober　and　conscientious；　and　the
wench　seems　to　be　as　great　an　enthusiast　in　love　as　in　religion。

I　wish　you　would　think　of　employing　him　some　other　way；　that　the
parish　may　not　be　overstocked　　you　know　he　has　been　bred　a
farrier；　consequently　belongs　to　the　faculty；　and　as　he　is　very
docile；　I　make　no　doubt　but；　with　your　good　instruction；　he　may
be；　in　a　little　time；　qualified　to　act　as　a　Welch　apothecary。
Tabby；　who　never　did　a　favour　with　a　good　grace；　has　consented；
with　great　reluctance；　to　this　match。　Perhaps　it　hurts　her　pride；
as　she　now　considers　Clinker　in　the　light　of　a　relation；　but；　I
believe；　her　objections　are　of　a　more　selfish　nature。　She
declares　she　cannot　think　of　retaining　the　wife　of　Matthew　Loyd
in　the　character　of　a　servant；　and　she　foresees；　that　on　such　an
occasion　the　woman　will　expect　some　gratification　for　her　past
services。　As　for　Clinker；　exclusive　of　other　considerations；　he
is　so　trusty；　brave；　affectionate；　and　alert；　and　I　owe　him　such
personal　obligations；　that　he　merits　more　than　all　the　indulgence
that　can　possibly　be　shewn　him；　by

Yours；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
Oct。　26。




To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　Bart。　at　Oxon。

DEAR　KNIGHT；

The　fatal　knots　are　now　tied。　The　comedy　is　near　a　close；　and　the
curtain　is　ready　to　drop：　but；　the　latter　scenes　of　this　act　I
shall　recapitulate　in　order　　About　a　fortnight　ago；　my　uncle　made
an　excursion　across　the　country；　and　brought　hither　a　particular
friend；　one　Mr　Baynard；　who　has　just　lost　his　wife；　and　was　for
some　time　disconsolate；　though　by　all　accounts　he　had　much　more
cause　for　joy　than　for　sorrow　at　this　event。　　His　countenance；
however；　clears　up　apace；　and　he　appears　to　be　a　person　of　rare
accomplishments。　　But；　we　have　received　another　still　more
agreeable　reinforcement　to　our　company；　by　the　arrival　of　Miss
Willis　from　Gloucester。　She　was　Liddy's　bosom　friend　at　the
boarding…school；　and　being　earnestly　sollicited　to　assist　at　the
nuptials；　her　mother　was　so　obliging　as　to　grant　my　sister's
request；　and　even　to　come　with　her　in　person。　Liddy；　accompanied
by　George　Dennison　and　me；　gave　them　the　meeting　halfway；　and
next　day　conducted　them　hither　in　safety。　Miss　Willis　is　a
charming　girl；　and；　in　point　of　disposition；　an　agreeable
contrast　to　my　sister；　who　is　rather　too　grave　and　sentimental
for　my　turn　of　mind。　The　other　is　gay；　frank；　a　little　giddy；　and
always　good…humoured。　She　has；　moreover；　a　genteel　fortune；　is
well　born；　and　remarkably　handsome。　Ah　Phillips！　if　these
qualities　were　permanent　　if　her　humour　would　never　change；　nor
her　beauties　decay；　what　efforts　would　I　not　make　　But　these　are
idle　reflections　　my　destiny　must　one　day　be　fulfilled。

At　present　we　pass　the　time　as　agreeably　as　we　can。　　We　have　got
up　several　farces；　which　afforded　unspeakable　entertainment　by
the　effects　they　produced　among　the　country　people；　who　are
admitted　to　all　our　exhibitions。　　Two　nights　ago；　Jack　Wilson
acquired　great　applause　in　Harlequin　Skeleton；　and　Lismahago
surprised　us　all　in　the　character　of　Pierot。　　His　long　lank
sides；　and　strong　marked　features；　were　all　peculia